Growth spurts

Before you started breastfeeding, you probably never heard of baby growth spurts. But growth spurts are the reason your baby is fretful and whiny during certain times and just wants to stay at your breast the whole day.

It’s common for babies to want to feed 6-12 times a day, sometimes even more But there are days when even 60-120 times aren’t enough! Your baby wants to feed constantly, and your breast is the only place they want to be When this happens, your baby is probably experiencing a growth spurt

Fretful and whiny
Your baby is whiny and fretful because they need more food They have grown and intend to grow even bigger – so more food is required It’s as simple as that It’s pretty amazing how instinctively breastfeeding works When your baby wants more food, they make sure more food is produced Sucking on your breasts stimulates prolactin, a milk-producing hormone, which increases your milk production

Periodic growth spurts
The first growth spurt usually happens when a baby is 7-12 days old Another one occurs at 3 weeks, another at 5-6 weeks, and another at about 3 months But the exact time and frequency varies a lot

Here’s some advice If your baby seems fretful, try breastfeeding for longer and more often for a while Don’t look at the clock; follow your baby's lead Put everything else on hold and after a couple of days, you’ll have a happier baby